June 19, 2004
A hot one in Cave Creek. Must be at least a hundred outside. Finally went swimming (first time this year), swam 10 passes. Buddy Boze Bell joined me for a half a lap and then petered out, sat on the side step and watched me flail around, with that look in his eye that says, “I don’t know what you think you’re achieving but it ain’t much, whatever it is.”.

Speaking of the Hatkiller, he has acquired a new taste for things to chew on. I brought home my office couch so I could fit in my art desk at work, and Buddy took one look at that big wagon wheeled puppy and gave me the look that says, “Wow! Thanks for the big chew toy.” He’s already destroyed about a third of it.

Finally got my framed rodeo poster from Valencia, Spain up on the wall. It’s a huge sucker, takes up the whole north wall. (framing bill was $550, not counting materials).

Had Lisa Wines and her Beau over for tacos and beer last night. Had a grand time and afterwards we sat outside by a roaring bonfire and since it was about 95 out, we sat about 95 feet from the fire. It was toasty squared. Actually, Kathy had been trimming dead branches for about two weeks and she wanted to get rid of them.

I painted on three big gouaches this morning. Had fun, did okay. Truthfully I did really great but I don’t want to jinx it (just did). Met Kathy at Saba’s Western Wear at 10. Tried on Wranglers jeans (3) and four short-sleeved snap shirts (half price rack). Kathy bought for Father’s Day. Very sweet.

Here’s a testimonial for marketing, networking and advertising. At the Keystone WETA conference I attended two weekends ago, Roger Saba was there with his gorgeous wife and he was very glib and funny in all the conference sessions. I had lunch at the same table with him and others at the Saturday sessions (he thought I was still on the radio and asked what station I was on now). But anyway, he was very charming and fun and I liked him a lot. His family has owned Western wear stores in the Valley for probably a half century or more. The last time I was in one was about 1994 when my Dad came down from Kingman and wanted a certain kind of jacket and we ended up in the Shea store. Never been back. Anyway, I come back from the conference, and I see an ad in Thursday’s paper for Wranglers at $19.95 a pair, a special Father’s Day sale at Saba’s, and I think Hey, I like the guy, he’s local and I’m going there and support him. See the chain? They say you need to see something three times before you’ll buy and there you have it.

This afternoon we were supposed to go down to the Harshberger’s for Mandy’s return from Germany party, but Kathy called at about 3:30 and said Grandma Betty had fallen and hurt her hip. All the Radina’s headed for Betty’s, picked her up and took her to the hospital. The X-rays showed a broken hip. She’ll be in for five days.

Finally got a chance to look at the Jimmy Corrigan graphic novel. It really is stupendous. Inspiring. I will steal from it like crazy. Especially his snow scenes. quite sophisticated and clever.

"Books are like a mirror. If an ass looks in, you can't expect an angel to look out."
—Arthur Schoenhauer (sent to me by Sharon Magee, who thought I would like the quote and, like an ass, I do.)